September 04, 2009

IDF Marching Band to Perform in Red Square

If all goes off without a hitch, it will be one of the IDF's most meticulously planned and executed large-scale missions beyond Israel's borders, ever. If performed well, it will receive thunderous applause; but failure could ignite a diplomatic scandal with a resurgent superpower.

It involves flying 45 specialist IDF soldiers thousands of kilometers away from Israel's borders, together with their unique equipment and sensitive instruments, where they will face-off against not one, but dozens of similar elite units in a mission spanning an entire week.

For the first time in its existence, the IDF marching band is to parade in Moscow's Red Square on Saturday night in front of tens of thousands of people as part of the Russian capital's annual Moscow Day celebration.

The band, led and conducted by Lt.-Col. Michael Ya'aran will perform "Fiddler on the Roof," "Shir Hamachar," the IDF anthem "Tomorrow" by Naomi Shemer, and "Hava Nagila." It will march in the shape of a menora, and form the word "shalom."

Moscow is over 800 years old, and every September 5 the municipality and the Kremlin organize a massive bash to celebrate the city's power and prestige. Red Square is the traditional parade grounds of the Russian armed forces, having hosting the Red Army victory parade in June of 1945. In May 2008 Russia held its annual Victory Day parade marking the defeat of Nazi Germany.

This Saturday, the IDF band will join the military orchestras of France, England, India, Scotland, Italy and Kazakhstan, as well as 15 military bands from Russia's most elite army units, which each have their own marching bands.

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IDF Marching Band to Perform in Red Square

If all goes off without a hitch, it will be one of the IDF's most meticulously planned and executed large-scale missions beyond Israel's borders, ever. If performed well, it will receive thunderous applause; but failure could ignite a diplomatic scandal with a resurgent superpower.

It involves flying 45 specialist IDF soldiers thousands of kilometers away from Israel's borders, together with their unique equipment and sensitive instruments, where they will face-off against not one, but dozens of similar elite units in a mission spanning an entire week.

For the first time in its existence, the IDF marching band is to parade in Moscow's Red Square on Saturday night in front of tens of thousands of people as part of the Russian capital's annual Moscow Day celebration.

The band, led and conducted by Lt.-Col. Michael Ya'aran will perform "Fiddler on the Roof," "Shir Hamachar," the IDF anthem "Tomorrow" by Naomi Shemer, and "Hava Nagila." It will march in the shape of a menora, and form the word "shalom."

Moscow is over 800 years old, and every September 5 the municipality and the Kremlin organize a massive bash to celebrate the city's power and prestige. Red Square is the traditional parade grounds of the Russian armed forces, having hosting the Red Army victory parade in June of 1945. In May 2008 Russia held its annual Victory Day parade marking the defeat of Nazi Germany.

This Saturday, the IDF band will join the military orchestras of France, England, India, Scotland, Italy and Kazakhstan, as well as 15 military bands from Russia's most elite army units, which each have their own marching bands.